The Sumter County Fair 2012

A favorite childhood memory for me is the Sumter County Fair. We used to live across the street, and my brother Frank and I would park cars all week on my uncle's lot to have money for the fair on Friday night. So I took Dick. It was military appreciation night, and we got in free. We also saw some of our families from church who are in the Air Force. Fun time!


Just browsing.

 

We were a little too big for this one.

More food.

We sat for a while and watched every age ride the swings. The best
was a grandma and her grandson.



Now you know the reason he so willingly went to the fair.
FUNNEL CAKE!

Shaw AFB Kids' Deployment 2012

On September 19, 2012, about 300 kids participated in their own deployment. Many of these kids have a parent deployment or getting ready to deploy soon. MSgt Melton was in charge of organizing this exercise, and we had the pleasure of helping him. Yes, we both cried when the kids "came home".

Trying on Body Armor

Our job a couple days earlier was to stuff these backpacks
with lots of cool things needed for deployment.

The uniforms

Dog Tags

Receiving pay

Our friend Chaplain Kathy Scott handing out packets for
writing letters home.

Super important MREs kids's version... Lunchables

Loading on the bus and heading to an undisclosed location.

Battle Buddies

So glad to have them safely home

Maybe he went to the Middle East...check out the head gear

She decided to return to action

Elders' Quorum Party

On Saturday, September 15th we had a party at Troy and Mariah Taylor's home. The Taylors are from Texas too, so guess what kind of barbeque we had. Pulled pork for South Carolina and brisket for TEXAS!!!  The food was yummy. The weather was beautiful and everyone had a great time.

Troy putting food on the table. Everyone waiting
patiently, especially Elder Powell and Dixon.

Dick was first in line to fix his plate.

Brisket! Sooo good.

Grayden Taylor and Jane talking and eating.



The party in full swing.

The Wheels On The Bus

His first love in the wheel department a Volkswagen Bus.
Yes, I know the WHEELS are missing.

Dick loves anything with a motor and WHEELS. We have come to the right place for our mission. Sumter is full of interesting wheels. This will be a regular post as we discover more WHEELS. Here are a few we have captured so far. Enjoy!!

There are so many cars like this around town. Watch for
them in future posts. 28 inch WHEELS

Pretty nice golf cart. Kawasaki Green with a Monster emblem.



A Dodge Durango with 30 inch WHEELS.



The coolest set of WHEELS belongs to George, Jane's brother, on
his '63 Studebaker.

Sights Around Sumter, SC

We love going on base several times each week.  Our volunteer service work is very rewarding, and we are making great friends.  It's a beautiful base with lots of contruction going on. The sound of F-16's taking off gives us chills and of course makes Dick a little home sick.

 This is George's spread and where we get to live while serving here in Sumter. It's a very nice home, and yes, Jane loves mowing all this grass.

Pinewood is a small town west of Sumter. This is the restored train station. Schools used to bus students out to Pinewood and they'd ride the train back into Sumter.

One of three churches we found in this tiny town.



A South Carolina Texas Longhorn. Sure made Jane happy.

SC Missionaries

Elder Parkes (second from right) worked with us in Sumter. He was waiting for his visa to Argentina along with these other four elders.  We were happy for him and sad for us when his visa arrived. We were able to take him to the mission home and tell him so long.  A great elder!...August 5, 2012

Transfer days are a tearful time for Sister Wakefield...This was Elder Aguilar's and Elder Bailey's transfer day...

Elders Parkes, Lash and Bailey...so glad we brought the Suburban...bought the bike rack in SC...July 18, 2012

Our daughter Geri's in-laws, Betty and Joe Leckie were in Irmo, SC at our first transfer...we were there to introduce ourselves and new missionaries to the South Carolina Columbia Mission...it was a nice surprise to see them there...June 6, 2012

At our last zone conference in Moncks Corner, SC....The elders and sisters had to bring the mission cars for an inspection...here are some all lined up...this is a bicycle mission but they need the cars to get to where they can bike...the funniest problem we heard about was the car that was full of ants...Elder Decker told the elders to get rid of them and stop eating in the car...August 8, 2012

Seniors Day...we had a meeting and then dinner at the mission home...this picture is of President and Sister Holm and the senior missionaries serving here...July 24, 2012

Missionary "Work" SC Style

Our family, friends, and mission president chuckled when we told them our 16 ft trailer was going on our mission with us to SC.  So far it has been used on 5 different occasions. It is a great missionary tool. This was the first move.

 One of Elder Wakefield's many "HATS". This is his used car salesman hats. My brother, George, sold his '54 Chevy, and Dick helped deliver it.

Building a shelf for the Airman's Attic.

Holly and her five kids are separating from the Air Force and she needed help with her move. This is how Jane's helps with moves.

Airman's Attic: items are donated then airmen or their spouses (E-4 and below) can come in once a week and choose 25 items...all free...we volunteer here each Tuesday and Thursday 9:00- 12:30...love it...very rewarding

Airman and Family Readiness Center...We volunteer here twice a week....we were stuffing deployment bags...about 400 service men and women will be deployed soon

Lisa  is the volunteer in charge of the Airman's Attic